100 and one faces
"L'homme 100 têtes" 3ème prix Panasonic'Art 2008 from Julien Lassort on Vimeo.
Experimental stopframe animation made up of from a mosaic of portraits by Julie Lassorts and Matthieu Burlot. Full of facial expressions and emotion this shows the communicating power of the human face by a stopmotion mashup between people. Everyone of these frames tells a story, at least we would interpret it so. Julien Fargo composed the melody that encapsulates the film. Award winner at the « Transformation: Live-React».
Need for Speed to reveal the 2009 Nissan Z
EA and Nissan raise the bar in automotive marketing. The Need for Speed series and Nissan revealed today that the new game will launch the all-new 2009 Nissan 370Z. This is the first time an auto manufacturer has partnered with a videogame for the world premiere reveal of a car. The Nissan Z will be available in Need for Speed Undercover, available in North America on November 18 and in Europe on November 21. Test driving a car in a videogame before it's available on the street. Smart.
The gaming industry has been creating unique experiences for gamers for more than 15 years, and it's about time someone harnessed the power of product launch and the experiential power of the console medium for the power of branding. Taking things to another level and redefining media. Sure beats buying banners and calling that a media strategy, but I digress....Congrats to EA and Nissan in this groundbreaking initiative.
“Our relationship with EA has been instrumental in bringing the Nissan brand to a passionate and unique audience,” says Christian Meunier, Vice President, Nissan Marketing. “By launching the all-new 2009 Nissan Z® first through Need for Speed Undercover, we also gain the spirit and energy that EA gamers experience so strongly. Together with EA, we have truly integrated the all-new 370Z in the overall game experience in a meaningful, multi-layered and profound way.”
UPDATE: Issam Heddad over at Revolver3 pointed out that they also featured the Legendary Skyline GTR in Gran Turismo 5. And to close the loop between game world and real time, the car's dashboard was developed by non other than the game's creators Polyphony Digital!
So it's videogame about a car that you can buy that was designed like a videogame. Stellar out of the analog-box thinking! Brilliant article with all the details of the car : Nissan GT-R: A supercar with computer game or a game with hardware?
Dodge Ram Challenge
BBDO, Organic, Mekanism and director Tony Scott have joined forces for a video-based web initiative to promote the Dodge Ram.
With the Ram Challenge, real truck buyers including cowboys, construction workers, firemen and military personnel take part in a series of races within a custom-built "obstacle course city." Intense and well shot with lots of helicopter and action shots. Full screen video makes this as much fun to watch as Volvo Rush initiative.
6-minute web episodes will live on the Ram Challenge homepage. Each episode will be unveiled throughout the coming weeks. Part 1 is currently up and features behind-the-scenes clips.
Amazing homepage UX that offers a 360-degree, animated view of the race site. Overall it's a fun brand heavy site and even if I'm nowhere near being in the market to buy a truck, I'm definitly going to be back to check out the other episodes. Solid work that showcases the powe of a brand online.
Digital out-of-home projecting on building
Here is an excellent spin on digital out of home projecting images on building. The projector is placed in a car and in this case, it shoots a pretty big image of a tiger on the facade of a building at night. Until now pretty simple. Right? As soon as the car moves the tiger moves at the same speed and accelerates at the same speed. The car is stopped for a red light, the tiger sits and chills until he can go again.
Haven't seen commercial executions of this yet, but the simplicity of the concept really allows digital realizations to enter the street world at a low cost. Also, gives story telling possibilities for extending a brand's interaction outside the normal sandbox of media. Is this scalable? Probably not. But it's fun and creates instant attraction.
Check out the video and more details here.
Haven't seen commercial executions of this yet, but the simplicity of the concept really allows digital realizations to enter the street world at a low cost. Also, gives story telling possibilities for extending a brand's interaction outside the normal sandbox of media. Is this scalable? Probably not. But it's fun and creates instant attraction.
We are elevated from the everyday reality through this element of fantasy into a world with more dimensions, possibilities and perhaps beauty.
Check out the video and more details here.
CNNBC Elections 2008 Viral
How would you like to find out that you're featured in the news and could be responsible for some terrible calamity unknowingly. With this video initiative by CNNBC (good pun on MSNBC) you can customize the name of the person who would be single handedly responsible for the
Must see also the Wassup 2008 video, 8 years later the irritating skit is back with a unique edge. Brilliant. Election time is bringing up some very cool creative projects.
OCT 29 UPDATE: Moveon.org is taking the credit for the CNNBC vid with the following on their homepage. 7 Million videos!!! WOW!
NikeWomen: Here I Am
NikeWomen comes out with this eyeblasting video that tells the story of what happens inside competitive runner and Oympic hopefull Nicola. Lungs, quads, ears and the brain talk to each other and make it happen. Nike meets Osmosis Jones.
Originally a hurdler, Nicola overcame heartbreak and injury, injury, and has risen to become a formidable sprinter and a Beijing hopeful. Among her many accolades, she won silver in the 2007 World Championships and became European Indoor Champion, both in the 400 metres. Last August she was also named British Woman Athlete of the Year. She says her strength has always come from maintaining her sense of humour and listening to her body. Yeah, listen to your body, no matter freaky it sounds.
Nicola Sanders’ Story – NikeWomen: Here I Am from nikehereiam on Vimeo.
Originally a hurdler, Nicola overcame heartbreak and injury, injury, and has risen to become a formidable sprinter and a Beijing hopeful. Among her many accolades, she won silver in the 2007 World Championships and became European Indoor Champion, both in the 400 metres. Last August she was also named British Woman Athlete of the Year. She says her strength has always come from maintaining her sense of humour and listening to her body. Yeah, listen to your body, no matter freaky it sounds.
Nicola Sanders’ Story – NikeWomen: Here I Am from nikehereiam on Vimeo.
Sam Flores by Upper Playground & Adidas Originals
Upper Playground & Adidas Originals released the new Sam Flores model. Sam Flores = amazing illustrator and artist.
Great personalized sneaker and it's probably sold out by the time you're reading this since there are only 500 pairs out there.
More goodies available on Upper Playground.
Great personalized sneaker and it's probably sold out by the time you're reading this since there are only 500 pairs out there.
More goodies available on Upper Playground.
Electric Visual Iphone Application= circa-90's web site
Electric makes some pretty cool shades. They cater mostly to street culture, action sports cool kids and their brand is hot. Iphones are really cool. Iphone applications are even cooler. The screen allows you to really get some interaction out of the experience and have some fun. So when I picked up this article on Freeskier magazine yesterday announcing the new Electric Visual iphone app, I zoomed right away to itunes to pick it up. Even if it cost me 5$ I would buy it. But it was free, even better!
Bottom line: I was prepared to write a post about how much I loved their new app. Unfortunately I am really disapointed. Iphone applications are supposed to be fun, interactive and unique. Think of Seth Godin's Purple Cow. The wow effect. Something to talk about with friends and show off. A memorable experience. As an example, on a recent biking trip a friend showed me his Iphone Star Wars Lightsaber application. Wow. A great viral tool to promote their game The Force Within. The lightsaber app is a purple cow. I downloaded it and convinced several users to pick it up. You should download it too, one should always have a lightsaber at hand.
The Electric Visual app on the other hand is a 1995 brochure website. It features the fall lineup of shades, the latest news, their ad campaign, a dealer locator and a contact Electric function. Arghhhhhhh. They are seriously shy of an About Us page that would make the circa-90's web alive again. The one thing that made them cross over in the Youtube realm of interactive was a short video featuring skateboard icon Bam Margera driving his Ferrari to the skatepark. Mad props to the art direction, it's got urban lifestyle branding all over it and it works. But inside an iPhone app, you're shooting blanks with just a video and a brochure. A dealer locator? The ad campaign? Come on!
I would have loved to praise their initiative in being the 1st lifestyle company out there coming out with a good app. I love the brand, love what they do, their product and their 'tude. But this was weak. Please make it better. Make something fun out of this opportunity to connect with your users.
The Best of 2008 Viral Videos by Trendhunter.com
10. Bullet Proof Baby Stroller
9.Did John McCain Call His Wife A C**t?
8.Drunk Daft Punk! THE WORST!- Harder Bodies Faster Stronger
7.Everyday Normal Guy
6.Dove Evolution Parody Real Beauty
5.Dove Onslaught(er)
4.I'm F***ng Matt Damon by Sarah Silverman
3.I'm F*cking Obama - Hillary Clinton feat. Sarah Silverman
2.Guys backflip into jeans
1.Little Gordon Ramsey
and A Top 5 Deep Dive
5.Feist on Sesame Street
4.Bill O'Reilly Flips Out
3.Radiohead - House of Cards
2.FRED FIGGLEHORN
1.Christian the Lion - the full story
BONUS: The Muppets do Gangsta Rap
Brian Eno’s Bloom iPhone app
Brian Eno's Bloom is the one of the most playful and cutting edge iphone apps I have seen. It lets you experiment with music loops and ambiant sound effects by taping at your screen. There are currently 9 moods to play with very colourful names including Neroll, Vetiver, Yiang, Labdanum. It's my 1st generative music application and I'm not a music expert but the interface and UX is simple, intuitive, compelling and fun. Check it out on Itunes for about $3,99 here.
Radiohead In Rainbows Download Stats Revealed
In Rainbows is the seventh album by Radiohead that was first released on 10 October 2007 as a digital download where users chose how much they would pay for the album. This was followed by a standard CD release in North America on 1 January 2008.
The significance of the initiative is critical to fully understand the zeitgeist of the web and music industry. The fact that they even tried it, is a huge statement and a line in the sand vis-a-vis the industry. Again, Radiohead clarly demonstrated their avant-gardeness and their trendsetter status, this time not only in music but the way they relate with the industry and their fans.
Warner Chappell’s Head of Business Affairs Jane Dyball revealed that the digital publishing income from the first licence (for the Radiohead pay what you want site) alone dwarfed all the band’s previous digital publishing income and made a “material difference” to Warner Chappell UK’s digital income.
The publisher also confirmed that Radiohead had generated more revenue before ‘In Rainbows’ was physically in stores than they made in total on the previous album ‘Hail To the Thief’. Some may remember that until then, Radiohead has snubbed the likes of iTunes by withholding digital licensing.
The Radiohead In Rainbows experiment was a success for both Warner’s and the band’s perspective. For Warner it served to prove a point that by licensing directly and by offering a genuine one stop shop for licensing the publisher was able to generate far more money than would have been possible. From a marketing and product launch point of view, this experiment wrote a chapter in the book of brand management, social media and digital licensing. Forget about the book, they created the wiki....
Perhaps one of the strenghts of this 'experiment' is that In Rainbows is (IMHO) a better album than Hail to the Thief. So before we all get zapped around and jump to conclusions, the quality of the product is still the founding reason behind the succes of any distribution amd marketng strategy. Nine Inch Nails emerged with a similar free album download strategy with The Slip. The bands obvious niche appeal doesnt allow us to make comparaisons to Radiohead's In Rainbows, but I doubt it levereged as much.
The power of the Radiohead brand is probably the biggest driving force behind an initiative like this. In fact, the In Rainbows experiment probably reinforced even more the trend setting nature of the band. While a début album for a lesser known band probably wouldnt have levereged as much in terms of offline sales, we are clearly witnessed a deep fracture line in the landscape that the web is now making possible.
Read more on Music Ally
Crowdsourcing, forecasting the future, and evolution
How do you start a post on these 3 massive subjects: crowdsourcing, forecasting the future, and then to add a little spice to this, human evolution. Play an online game with people all around the world and solve the problems of the world of tomorrow. It turns out crowdcourcing is not only a buzzword used for creative and commercial purposes. Meet Superstruct.
"Superstruct is the world's first massively multiplayer forecasting game. By playing the game, you'll help us chronicle the world of 2019--and imagine how we might solve the problems we'll face. Because this is about more than just envisioning the future. It's about making the future, inventing new ways to organize the human race and augment our collective human potential."
Very powerful concept indeed. Using the wisdom of the masses, this experiment leverages the insight and creative power of ever type of person to solve problems we will be facing in 2019. Some guidelines for the game include:
Be Unique. Superstruct is a collaborative community. Everyone is encouraged to contribute his or her unique skills, ideas, and talents! What do you know a lot about? What do you care a lot about? Where do you live? Who do you know? What are you good at? What unusual experiences have you had? Whoever you are, there are ideas only YOU could have, and there are thoughts only YOU could think. Please share them with us!
In Superstruct, players will bring their own personal knowledge and experiences to the table. "We don't need everybody to be experts on how climate might change and how the economy might be impacted," says McGonigal. "If you're a teenaged girl, tell us how a teenaged girl would respond to this crisis. We need that personal intelligence from everybody." The players will help imagine and document the world of 2019, and will work together to come up with solutions to the challenges that are presented throughout the six-week game. Cascio says that his highest hope is that the collaborating players will come up with innovative ideas that have applications here, in the real world of 2008. "The mass of ideas can become almost an epiphany engine," he says. (from discover magazine)
Ok, now what about the evolution part?
A lot of the challenges we're dealing with this century have a very long lag time. "Even if we were to stop putting out greenhouse gases right now, we'd still face decades of warming." Most humans aren't in the habit of acting on consequences they can't see; they have to be coaxed into saving money for retirement or into supporting climate change legislation that will raise energy prices.
"According to some neuroscientists, our capacity for long-term thinking emerged in the parts of the brain that were initially involved with throwing rocks at moving objects," a skill first developed further during harsh ice ages, Cascio says. "If you look at the major advances in the Hominid line—advances in tool use, language, and art—most of these were triggered by environmental changes," he says. "Foresight turns out to be a critical adaptive strategy for times of great stress."
Check out Superstruct on Youtube
An inspiring example of collaborative culture and technology used to leverage creativity and problem solving. Thanks John for sharing this with me!
Midnight Madness Google Earth Video
The cynics would say that Google Earth Mashups are sooo 2006. Well thats why no one likes cynics! Very cool and fun video site for Midnight Madness.
What exactly are you doing at midnight? Well this project seeks to answer that question with a simple yet catchy User Generated platform on the site http://thechemicalbrothers.com/home/
It's catchy, dizzying, simple and voyeur. Love it.
Welcome to the Midnight Madness / Google Earth experience! The tour takes you around the world, exploring what people get up to at midnight. Sit back and buckle up for a fly around the earth and let the Chems supply the soundtrack.
See part of the vid right here...
Memory Clouds over London's Trafalgar Square
IMAGINE YOUR TEXT MESSAGE IN HUGE SMOKE LETTERS OVER TRAFALGAR SQUARE.
Every once in a while you hear about a project like this. In the great divide between commerce and magic, such a realisation clearly comes out as truly contemporary. While many communicators are looking for more compelling and clever ways to engage the social outside of the relm of the online pixel, this project on the other hand is clearly beyond. It colours outside the lines with fun, interactive, simple, uncensored, and boldness.
For three evenings in October, a new interactive smoky communication will be underway in central London - one that combines a very modern medium with a 5,000-year-old one. In Memory Cloud, visitors can text any message they like to the artists' creation, and that phone message will be made into light-and-air smoke signals and huge in Trafalgar Square. This new exploration of personal expression in public spaces is from Minimaforms, founded in 2002 by brothers Stephen and Theodore Spyropoulos as an experimental architecture and design practice that explores projects that provoke and facilitate new means of communication.
http://www.minimaforms.com/memorycloud/
The Ten Commandments of Emotional Branding
From Marc Gobé's book Emotional Branding here are 10 Rules that illustrate the difference between traditional concepts of brand awareness and Emotional Branding.
Let's face it: Some brands create emotional connections with consumers, while others leave people cold. There are functional brands, such as Compaq or Kmart, and there are emotional brands, such as Apple, Target and Wal-Mart, that galvanize loyalty. The difference is the personal connection these brands have with consumers through the strength of their culture and the uniqueness of their brand imagery. Emotional Branding creates strong, flexible brand personalities that closely match the aspirations of their customers. These “brand characters” are less about rationality than they are about desire and cultural connection.
1. from consumers to people
Consumers buy, people live.
2. from product to experience
Products fulfill needs, experiences fulfill desires.
3. from honesty to trust
Honesty is expected. Trust is engaging and intimate.
4. from quality to preference
Quality for the right price is a given today. Preference creates the sale.
5. from notoriety to aspiration
Being known does not mean that you are also loved!
6. from identity to personality
Identity is recognition. Personality is about character and charisma.
7. from function to feel
The functionality of a product is about practical or superficial qualities only.
Sensorial design is about experiences.
8. from ubiquity to presence
Ubiquity is seen. Emotional presence is felt.
9. from communication to dialogue
Communication is telling. Dialogue is sharing.
10. from service to relationship
Service is selling. Relationship is acknowledgment.
Let's face it: Some brands create emotional connections with consumers, while others leave people cold. There are functional brands, such as Compaq or Kmart, and there are emotional brands, such as Apple, Target and Wal-Mart, that galvanize loyalty. The difference is the personal connection these brands have with consumers through the strength of their culture and the uniqueness of their brand imagery. Emotional Branding creates strong, flexible brand personalities that closely match the aspirations of their customers. These “brand characters” are less about rationality than they are about desire and cultural connection.
1. from consumers to people
Consumers buy, people live.
2. from product to experience
Products fulfill needs, experiences fulfill desires.
3. from honesty to trust
Honesty is expected. Trust is engaging and intimate.
4. from quality to preference
Quality for the right price is a given today. Preference creates the sale.
5. from notoriety to aspiration
Being known does not mean that you are also loved!
6. from identity to personality
Identity is recognition. Personality is about character and charisma.
7. from function to feel
The functionality of a product is about practical or superficial qualities only.
Sensorial design is about experiences.
8. from ubiquity to presence
Ubiquity is seen. Emotional presence is felt.
9. from communication to dialogue
Communication is telling. Dialogue is sharing.
10. from service to relationship
Service is selling. Relationship is acknowledgment.
Magic Flashlights
Amazing light effect used in a Snowboard video by Mike Benson, song by MGMT.
The great talent by the kids at High Cascade Snowboard camp is enhanced by light tracing effect in post-production. I especially like the fact a kid draws a circle and then jumps right into in.
Vimeo Video Link
A couple of months ago I saw this video showing tagging artist DAIM that resembles somewhat the end product, but clearly the snowboard video brings things to another level.
Magic Flashlights from Mike Benson on Vimeo.
The great talent by the kids at High Cascade Snowboard camp is enhanced by light tracing effect in post-production. I especially like the fact a kid draws a circle and then jumps right into in.
Vimeo Video Link
A couple of months ago I saw this video showing tagging artist DAIM that resembles somewhat the end product, but clearly the snowboard video brings things to another level.
Magic Flashlights from Mike Benson on Vimeo.
Cameesa.com and crowdsourcing
I was looking at some interesting tshirt designs today and found Cameesa.com.
For those of you who are familiar with Threadless.com, it's a similar model, but geared differently towards funding. Like a lot of similar sites, freelancers provide the content that gets selected and printed on t-shirts. But this is where it gets interesting: before a tshirt can go on sale, the community needs to invest $1000 in it or 50 x $20 shares. The 50 shareholders will receive a copy of the shirt but will also receive a share of future sales from the shirt. Interest or popularity in the shirt is gauged before the shirt is ever produced and should the required 50 shares never get sold, everyone gets their money back. A very interesting model and venue for artists who want to be out there but also a great primer in market research for launching a product and creating a following.
More reading from cnet here
The 1st interactive game in youtube!
Pretty neat gimmick, but visually a little weak. I'm sure(hope) someone will take this to the next level very soon.
update: after playing a little with this, I have to admit it's pretty cool. I can only imagine if someone setup a similar setup with our beloved cartoon Linea
What it takes to land a brand's business?
Interesting insights from the client POV on how to win a brand's business if you're an agency. A couple of obvious pointers but real goodies:
Be really good
Listen, do your home work and surprise the client
Provide not only pretty pictures but pretty pictures that work
Collaboration with other agencies
Be really good
Listen, do your home work and surprise the client
Provide not only pretty pictures but pretty pictures that work
Collaboration with other agencies
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